Updated 8pm
Almost two years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, not only do we not know who commissioned the murder but no one in government had shouldered any responsibility for what had happened, PN leader Adrian Delia said Sunday.
The government was silent on the matter and it was only through journalists that developments had been revealed, he said, referring to The Sunday Times of Malta report today that a businessman is among the murder suspects.
“We’ve been two years saying there was the need of an independent inquiry. But the government is more interested in clearing out a makeshift memorial every time someone places flowers, candles or messages there. This goes against democracy and freedom of expression.
“The government is silent, so it is up to journalists to seek the truth. Not only have we not found who was the person who commissioned the crime but two years later, no one shouldered any responsibility yet,” he said.
Dr Delia criticised the Police Commissioner, Justice Minister and Prime Minister for failing to react to The Sunday Times of Malta's report.
"It's a deafening silence: the government speaks out loudly when it wants to, but on issues as important as fundamental as this, that affect the fundamental pillars of our democracy, it remains silent," Dr Delia said, adding that the PN would keep pushing for the whole truth to emerge.
Pre-budget proposals
Interviewed on NET Television during a fundraising event, Dr Delia also spoke about the many proposals the PN included in its pre-budget document, mainly the proposal that overtime and part-time work is taxed at a maximum of 10 per cent.
He said this proposal ad well as many others were well-received by the social partners but not for government which had rubbished them.
Referring to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s assertion on Sunday morning that he wanted to make people rich, Dr Delia said this was far from the truth as there were many people who were struggling to make ends meet.
“There are 70,000 people, including the elderly, who are not managing to survive with their pension alone and are having to choose between medicines and food,” he said.
He also criticised the government’s decision to give more decision-making power to Land Authority chief executive, James Piscopo, who was also the former CEO of the Labour Party, to dispense of public land how he deems fit. “We will continue opposing this, especially to protect the country’s assets,” Dr Delia said.